Charles w



Patnted'JaJn. 3,1882.

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(No Model.) U; STEVENS.-

SHOULDER BRAGE AND SUSPENDERS.

t I Umrren STATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES \V. STEVENS, OF NEW YORK, NDY.

SHDULDER-BRACE AND SUSPENDERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Fatent No. 251,805, dated January 3, 1882.

Application filed November 18, 1881. (No model.)

- To all whom it may concern:

Beitknown that I, CHARLES W. S'rEvENs, a resident of the city, county, and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Inl- 'provements in Shoulder-Braces and Suspenders; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being bad to the accompanying draw-f ings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making a part of this specification.

This in ventibn relates to the manufacture of shoulder and back bracing suspenders. It' has for its object a perfect bracing of the shoulders, admitting of adjustment to a greater or less degree of tension without undue strain upon the pantaloons or waistband, and with entire relief from all strain when the wearer is seated.

Injthe accompanyingdrawings, Figure l is a perspective View of my invention Fig. 2, a detached view,'i1lustrating the combination of a stiffening-piece with the brace; Fig. 3, a front elevation in detail, and Fig. at a similar View of the reverse side of adcvice for adjusting the length of the suspender-cords. Fig. 5 is a view of the same with the outer plate removed, exhibiting the innerjpivoted catch. Figs. 6 and 8 illustrate the forms of the blanks from which the device is formed; and Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section in line or a: of Fig. 4, illustrating the construction of the inner catch.

A A arefshoulder-strap's, each formed of a piece of webbing, fitted to pass from a point on the back of the wearer; below the shoulderblade up over the shoulder, and thence down under the arm, back upon itself, so as to form in effect a loop,fittin g over the shoulder. This loop may be enlarged or reduced by means of a buckle, A. v

The back-pieces of the two shoulder straps or loops are stiifened by a lining-piece, B,Fig. 2, of thin metal, hard rubber, or other suitable material, and are furnished each with eyelets or loops along the edge thereof, or preferably with friction-pulleys O O as an equivalent.

therefor. They are drawn'togethermore or less, as desired, to brace back and support the shoulders, by means of suspender-cords D D. These suspender-oords are led through the eyes in the brace-bands, or through the pulleys G 0, so as to lace and draw the two hands together,

as shown in Fi 1, and are thence carried through loopsl l, stitched to the shoulder'pieces over each shoulder, and'down to the front buttons of the pantaloons. The rear ends of these cords are made to button upon the rear buttons of the pantaloons. The stifi'ening-piece B serves to prevent the webbing fromdoubling up, to equalize the tension of the interlaced cords upon the brace, and to prevent the brace or loop from pinching the shoulders in passing around the same.

The pulleysO G are cheaply made by bending over a sheet -'metal strip to embrace the sheave. The two projecting ends of the strip serve to embrace between them the shoulderstrap and its stiffening-plate, and are readily secured thereto by rivets passing through the whole from side to side. Side straps, H H,

also made of webbing, are united to the lower end of the shoulder-straps A A in the rear, to; extend thence diagonally toward the front, and

are provided with loops h h to engage the hipbuttons of the'pantaloons. These loops hare preferably connected to the side straps by means of slides, buckles, or other devices admitting of their adjustment in length.

, The rear loops of the suspender-cords D D are formed by bending the cord upon itself and securin g the end by a metal clasp, in the usual manner. The cords D are made adjustable,

and are lengthened or shortened at pleasure by passing the end of the cord down and back through a tubular clasping device, K. The device consists mainly of a sheet-metal blank, Fig. 6, whose projecting ends are bent over to form tubular ways, as shown in Fig. 5.

A simple double catch, L, formed by bending up, as shown in Fig. 7, the ends of a metal blank, Fig. 8, is pivoted centrally within the device between the two folds or lengths of the cord, (see dotted lines, Figs. 3 and 4,) and serves to engage it and prevent its accidental slipping. In turning upon its pivot the opposite lateral edges, w w, of the two bent-up ends of the plate operate to force the cord out into the opening 1? t left in the ways on either side, as shown in Fig. 5. This catch is operated to cause it to engage the cord by means of an outer swinging plate, M, arranged to turn upon the pivot of the catch, and. to which its two extreme ends are secured by lugs projecting therefrom through apertures in the swinging plate M. (See Fig. 7.)

The outer swinging plate, M, extends beyond the tubular plate confining the cords, and its upper edge is bent over and pierced to allow the two ends of the cord to be led through it, so that when tension is exerted on the cord it will have a tendency to turn the plate M, and with'it the catch L. so as to cause it to force the cord outward (see Fig.3) into the opening t, as described, and thus securely hold it and prevent its slipping. When the cord is. released fromtension the plate and catch may be readily turned inv the opposite direction, leaving the cord free to run easily through in either direction. The cross-lacing of the sus- -pender-cords through the shoulder-straps tends powerfully to draw thesestraps'together when a person wearing them stands up, the degree of tension upon theshoulders and shoulderblades of the wearer being deterininedmeasurably by the length of the suspender-cords. So soon, however, as the person sits down the. tension is instantly relaxed.

I contemplate, as a modification of my improved brace, causing the .suspenderecords to terminate at the lower end of the stiflening' plates in the shoulder-straps, the ends being 1. A shoulder brace constructed of independent shoulder straps or loops A A, drawn together at the back by interlaced adjustable through which the cords are led to interlace and draw together the shoulder -straps, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

4.. In combination with the end of the suspender and tension cords D D of the shoultier-braces A A, the tubular retaining device K, provided with a pivoted catch-plate, L, actuated by a swinging outer plate, M, through which the cord is led, substantially in the :manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

In testimony whereof Ihavesigned my name .to this specification in the presence of two subscribing -witnesses'.

CHARLES W. STEVENS.

Witnesses J. F. AGKER, J r., DAVID A. BURR.

4o Suspender-cords D D, led over the shoulders 

